Kentucky Derby Betting Sites
5Dimes has been around for a while now and is absolutely one of the top legal betting sites for the Kentucky Derby. 5Dimes is a little different than the other sites we have reviewed because they don’t put as much effort into the visual aesthetic of their site. Intertops has a welcome bonus that depends on when you sign up. Intertops also offer budget wagers that are as low as a couple dollars. It is a fantastic site if you are just getting into horse betting. Make sure you bet on the best race of all: the Kentucky Derby which is typically held in May. How to Bet on the 2020 Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby odds, futures and betting apps The first running of the Kentucky Derby took place at the iconic Churchill Downs in 1875. Since then, the best 3-year-old thoroughbreds in the world have gathered there annually on the first Saturday in May to compete in the “Run for the Roses” and a purse. There was over $250.9 Million wagered via Kentucky Derby online betting on the day of the race for the Kentucky Oaks meeting, with the Derby pulling in a massive $165.5 million. The whole meeting is said to reach over $343 million in wagers in the US alone. Country House qualified for the race via the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The 2021 Kentucky Derby is the 147th renewal of The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports. Live odds, betting, horse bios, travel info, tickets, news, and updates from Churchill Downs Race Track.
So, you want to know how to legally bet on the Kentucky Derby. Well, you’ve come to the right place. This page will go over everything, from how to bet on the Kentucky Derby, to what makes it legal in all fifty states. This isn’t just a legal page, though. It’s so much more than that. Here, you’ll find an in-depth Kentucky Derby betting guide. You’ll also find directions to Churchill down, what certain wager types are and how they work, and so much more. Legal Kentucky Derby betting is just the beginning.
In addition to explaining how legal Kentucky Derby betting works, we’ll also include recommendations and reviews of the best online horse racing betting sites. There, you’ll be able to wager on all of the major horse races in America, in addition to the Kentucky Derby. Online racebooks provide a convenient, fun, and legal Kentucky Derby betting experience to everyone, regardless of where they are located.
New to betting on horse racing? We’ve got one of the best explanations of morning line odds, pari-mutuel wager types, and jargon-free betting guide specifically for the Kentucky Derby. By the time you’re done with this page, you’ll be a horse betting pro, in addition to a legal Kentucky Derby betting expert.
Yes, you can legally bet on the Kentucky Derby. This event is open to betting residents of all 50 states. To explain how you can wager on the Kentucky Derby legally, we’ll touch on both federal and state mandates. First, federal horse racing betting laws. There is only one in the United States right now, and it actually has nothing to do with the actual bettor.
It’s called the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978. This law was enacted in order to give the host track complete control over which tracks across the country could broadcast the event for the purpose of wagering. It doesn’t have anything to say about what bettors can or cannot do. So there are no federal laws preventing you from legally betting on the Kentucky Derby.
Now, the state level. Some states might have horse racing betting laws that say you cannot wager on horse racing at a racetrack in the state. So, does that mean you can’t legally bet on the Kentucky Derby? No, it just means you can’t go to a land-based location to place your bets. State laws say nothing about using an online racebook.
Online racebooks provide residents in states without land-based pari-mutuel betting shops the chance for legal Kentucky Derby betting without having to travel somewhere else to do it. All you have to do is log on to an online racebook, like the ones listed below, and place your wagers. You’ll actually be doing yourself a favor. Not only will this legally allow you to bet on the Kentucky Derby, it will also give you more odds earlier than you’d find at a traditional land-based racebook. So it’s a win-win.
The best legal Kentucky Derby betting sites can be found right here, on this page. Below, we’ve found four top-notch racebooks that provide American bettors with a convenient alternative to land-based sports betting. If you live in a state that doesn’t have an OTB shop or racetrack for you to bet at, now all you need to do is log on to a computer.
These sites are legal to use, easy to use, and so much better for anyone who doesn’t live within driving distance of Churchill Downs. You can watch the race at home with your family without missing out on any of the action. What’s not to love about these legal Kentucky Derby betting sites? Can’t choose which one works best for you? Make multiple accounts. You’ll be able to choose which books have the odds you want.
If you’re looking for high-quality Kentucky Derby betting directly from your computer or phone, look no further than Bovada racebook. This site, run out of Canada, is a part of the Mohawk Morris Gaming Group. This group is known for having some of the best online gaming websites around. Their strict quality guidelines and regular software updates ensure bettors that they are getting the absolute best from this online racebook.
Signing up for Bovada is simple. It’ll take no more than a few minutes for your account to be set up, and just a few minutes more to make a deposit. If you use bitcoin to credit your account for the first time, you can earn up to $5,000 in your account, as Bovada will match you 200%. This racebook has one of the best interfaces for online horse racing betting, providing live daily odds directly on the homepage. Every race you’ve ever wanted to bet on can be found at Bovada racebook.
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Watching the race and pulling for a horse is nothing compared to betting on the race. Something about wagering on a horse to win just increases the excitement of any event, whether it’s a local race or the Kentucky Derby. Sometimes, though, there’s no way to get to track to lay your bets. Now, though, bettors from all over the country can easily wager on everything right from their home with SportsBetting.ag.
This racebook provides more Kentucky Derby betting odds than any other book. You’ll find futures and odds on exotic wagers weeks in advance to the event. You’ll also have better odds the morning of the race than you’d find at the track itself. SportsBetting’s expert handicappers make sure you are getting the absolute best for every single race you bet on. It doesn’t matter what state you live in. With SportsBetting.ag, you can bet on any race at any time right from your computer.
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The Kentucky Derby is the most exciting two minutes in sports. This high-speed competition featuring the best three-year-old thoroughbreds in America is a can’t-miss event. But if you’re always on the go, it can be really hard to find time to bet and watch this stunning race. Fortunately, there’s a really simple solution. BetOnline racebook has one of the best mobile horse racing betting sites available to US bettors.
Here, you can take your bet slip with you, perusing a list of betting odds that rivals the best of them. BetOnline allows you to do everything on their mobile site that you’d do on your computer, so you never have to worry about missing out on anything while you’re on the go. The best part yet? BetOnline streams races through their site. So now you can bet and watch from your smartphone or tablet. Who says you can’t have everything? Sign up for BetOnline today.
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The Kentucky Derby may not be the oldest horse race in the US, but it most certainly is the most well-known. Whether you’re a horse racing betting enthusiast or someone who just enjoys placing a casual wager every now and then, you’ll definitely be interested in betting on the Kentucky Derby. So why not do it where you’ll get the absolute largest selection of wagers?
5Dimes racebook has been around since the early 90’s. Since then, they have remained at the top of the online horse racing betting industry. One way they’ve managed to do this is by offering over 1000 wagers every day. You’ll have your pick of straight and exotic wagers, the best betting odds, and a simple, easy to use website that ensure the very best of everything. What more could you want from your online racebook? Check out 5Dimes today and receive up to a 9% rebate.
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Betting on the Kentucky Derby is not as confusing as it might seem. If you know the basics of pari-mutuel wagering, then you know how to bet on the Kentucky Derby. For specifics regarding this year’s race, we’ve put together some information on this page, sort of like a 2020 Kentucky Derby betting guide.
The first step for any horse to enter into the Kentucky Derby is to run in a qualifying race. There are many events that horses can run in, where they are awarded a certain amount of points for winning, placing, or showing in the event. Some even receive points for finishing fourth, depending on the race. This point system determines the top 20 competitors who will make it to the starting gate at Churchill Downs. Watching these qualifying races can help you when it comes time to bet on the Kentucky Derby, although the season has been disrupted by COVID-19.
After you’ve seen how the horses perform in the qualifiers and against certain opponents, you’re ready to start looking at wager types and betting odds. To help with that, we’ve included a list of popular wager types and current favorites in this 2020 Kentucky Derby betting guide. You can find those below. Whenever you’re betting on a horse race, it’s important to do some research. But this is especially crucial with the Kentucky Derby because it sets up a potential Triple Crown winner as well.
At the top of the odds boards is the Belmont Stakes winner, Tiz The Law. Tiz The Law is a stellar horse and dominates the odds boards. He is followed by a bit of a mess as far as the odds go, with multiple horses following him but none particularly close. It’s safe to say that Tiz The Law is the runaway favorite.
- 17 - Tiz The Law -150
- 16 - Honor A. P. +650
- 18 - Authentic +1000
- 10 - Thousand Words +1800
- 6 - King Guillermo +2200
- 15 - Ny Traffic +2500
Depending on where you place your bet, you’ll have a number of rules you’ll have to follow, like track betting limits and minimums. One track rule for betting on the Kentucky Derby that is pretty much the same everywhere is that your bet must be in at least five minutes before the race begins. Some tracks might allow you to cut it a bit closer than that, but this is the most important thing to keep in mind. Once those windows close, that’s it, betting on the race is shut down. Online racebooks are the same way. If you do choose to use an online racebook, make sure you familiarize yourself with the track rules on their site before you start to choose the types of bets you want to place.
There are two types of bets available at legal online racebooks: straight and exotic. Straight bets involve betting on the actions of a single horse. Exotic wagers involve betting on two or more horses or the outcomes of more than one race. These types of wagers each have their own bet types within them, which is what we’ll review below.
Straight Wagers:
- Win – Bet on a horse to win the race.
- Place – Pick a horse to be one of the first two that crosses the finishing line.
- Show – Bet on a horse to come in either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a race. As long as it finishes within the top three, your ticket wins.
- Across the Board – An across the board bet combines a win, place, and show wager. What you do is place even money at all three positions on a single horse. So, if that horse wins the race outright, you collect on all three bets. If they come in second place, you collect on two of the bets (place and show). If the horse finishes third, you collect a payout on the show bet. Keep in mind that a $3 Across the Board bet would require you to put down $9, since it’s even money on all three positions.
Exotic Wagers:
- Exacta – Pick the horses that will finish in first and second place, in order.
- Exacta Box – If you’re not sure which horses will finish in the top two positions in a race, choose an exacta box. This wager type allows you to choose two or more horses to include in the wager. The box will take into account the different winning combinations of all of the horses that are bet on. For example, you could choose three horses to bet on, which gives you six possible finishing combinations. If one of those combinations is correct, your exacta box is a success.
- Trifecta – Choose the correct finishing order of the first, second, and third place horses in a race.
- Trifecta Box – Bettors can choose to hedge their bets and choose a trifecta box rather than a trifecta. Here, you choose three or more horses to bet on. The box allows for any combination of the winners, rather than having you name the correct order. The more horses you have, the more chances you have to win. You also must put more money up front, because of the number of different combinations. For example, a 3 horse trifecta box is $12, but a 5 horse trifecta is $120. This is based on a $2 box.
- Superfecta – A superfecta bet requires the bettor to choose the horses that will finish in first, second, third, and fourth place. For a successful superfecta, you must name the horses in the correct order.
- Superfecta Box – Superfecta boxes allow you to choose four or more horses to wager on to finish in the top four positions. The number of horses you choose to include in the box determines the number of possible winning combinations. If one of the combinations in your box wins the race, your ticket is a success.
Morning line odds are payout estimates released the morning of the event. The track handicapper will create these odds himself, so they aren’t based on something in Vegas. Think of morning line odds as a jumping off point for what people base their wagers on. Morning line odds will more than likely change throughout the day.
They change because of a number of different factors, like a horse being scratched from the race, but mostly because of public opinion. If a number of bettors come in and place large wagers on a horse had longshot odds, the oddsmaker will take that into account and adjust the lines. Vice versa, if a horse that was favored did poorly in practice and people stopped betting on him, the oddsmakers would adjust the lines.
Tote Boards are used to calculate betting odds and track how people are wagering. At the turn of the 20th century, they became an immensely popular way for people to watch oddsmakers at the track. They didn’t make their way to the US until 1932, when they first appeared at Hialeah Park, in Florida.
Tote Boards have come a long way since that time, now appearing on large-screen LED TV’s at racetracks. The running tally of what is going on at the track is important for all bettors. Casual bettors can see how the odds chance from the morning lines to right before closing. Expert bettors might try to time their bets in order to get the most favorable odds. Learning to read a tote board is paramount to getting the full horse racing betting experience.
There are five essential pieces of information you need to know for every bet. Whether you’re following a menu in order to input your wager online or speaking with a teller at a betting window, these crucial bits of information must make their way into what you say otherwise your ticket will become void and you’ll have wasted your money. I’ll tell you the order you should follow when placing a bet and you’ll never have a problem betting again.
The order goes Track Name, Race Number, Dollar Amount, Type of Bet, Horse Number. It’s very important that you follow this order, otherwise, your bet won’t be right. Don’t mix up the race number and horse number, and always make sure to say how much the bet is before the type of bet you’re laying. Pretty soon, you’ll know the betting order like the back of your hand. Until then, keep a checklist handy to make sure you’ve got everything in the correct order.
- Track Name
- Race Number
- Dollar Amount Of Bet
- Type Of Bet
- Horse Number
The Triple Crown is a series of three races, starting with the Kentucky Derby, followed by the Preakness Stakes, and ending with the Belmont Stakes. Triple Crown betting is a type of futures bet. One way to bet on the Triple Crown is by wagering on whether or not there will be a Triple Crown winner this year.
The Kentucky Derby produces a single winner each year. That winner is the only horse that can go on to win the Triple Crown. If you like how the horse performed, you can bet on him (or her) to win the next two races in the series. Or, if you think the horse doesn’t have what it takes, you can bet against them, saying that there won’t be a Triple Crown winner.
Each race presents its own challenges, so the winner of the Kentucky Derby will have to be strategic. So will Triple Crown bettors. Triple Crown betting presents a number of challenges, giving bettors quite a bit to research and ponder before you place those wagers. You can bet on the winner of each race individually, or you can place a futures bet on whether or not the Derby winner will also be the Triple Crown winner. The choice is up to you.
The Kentucky Derby is a race that was first introduced to American thoroughbred racing in 1875. The one and a quarter mile dirt track is left-handed, like most American tracks. The Derby is open to three-year-old Colts, Geldings, and Fillies, only, so you only get one shot at running this historic race. Called the “most exciting two minutes in sports”, this race is quite possibly the most popular in the US. It is a Grade I stakes race.
Kentucky Derby Betting Picks
The Kentucky Derby takes place at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky. Held every year on the first Saturday in May, the race is open to up to 20 horses. In addition to the most exciting two minutes in sports, the Derby is also referred to as the “run for the roses”, due to the blanket of roses that are draped across the winning horse at the end of the race. The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown.
The Derby kicks off the Triple Crown, producing the single horse to take on the gauntlet for a chance in history. With so much riding on this race, it’s no wonder why attendance at the Derby is the highest of any Thoroughbred race, including that of the Breeder’s Cup or either the Preakness or Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby sees over 170,000 people at the track each year, with over $137 million wagered on the two-minute event.
Past Winners (Since 2005) | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Horse | Jockey |
2005 | Giacomo | Mike Smith |
2006 | Barbaro | Edgar Prado |
2007 | Street Sense | Calvin Borel |
2008 | Big Brown | Kent Desormeaux |
2009 | Mine That Bird | Calvin Borel |
2010 | Super Saver | Calvin Borel |
2011 | Animal Kingdom | John Velazquez |
2012 | I’ll Have Another | Mario Gutierrez |
2013 | Orb | Joel Rosario |
2014 | California Chrome | Victor Espinoza |
2015 | American Pharaoh | Victor Espinoza |
2016 | Nyquist | Mario Gutierrez |
List Of Past Triple Crown Winners | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Horse | Jockey |
1919 | Sir Barton | Johnny Loftus |
1930 | Gallant Fox | Earl Sande |
1935 | Omaha | Willie “Smokey” Saunders |
1937 | War Admiral | Charles Kurtsinger |
1941 | Whirlaway | Eddie Arcaro |
1943 | Count Fleet | Johnny Longden |
1946 | Assault | Warren Mehrtens |
948 | Citation | Eddie Arcaro |
1973 | Secretariat | Ron Turcotte |
1977 | Seattle Slew | Jean Cruguet |
1978 | Affirmed | Steve Cauthen |
2015 | American Pharaoh | Victor Espinoza |
Kentucky Derby Betting Board
- Churchill Downs
- 700 Central Ave.
- Louisville, KY 40208
Driving from the west (St. Louis) – Take I-264 East from 1-64E. Take exit 9 (Taylor Blvd). Go north on Taylor Blvd, exit onto Longfield Ave for Gate 10 and Central Ave for Gate 17.
Driving from the east (Lexington) – Take I-264 West from 1-64W. Take Exit 10 (Third St/Southern Pkwy). Take a right and head north on Third St/Southern Pkwy. Go to Central Ave. Turn left for Gate 17, continuing on Central Ave. Turn left on fourth St for Gate 10, bearing right (You will pass the barns).
Driving from the south (Nashville) – Take I-65 North or I-264 West to Exit 10 (Third St/Southern Pkwy). Take a right and head north on Third St/Southern Pkwy. Go to Central Ave. Turn left for Gate 17, continuing on Central Ave. Turn left on fourth St for Gate 10, bearing right (You will pass the barns).
Best Online Kentucky Derby Betting Sites
Driving from the north (Indianapolis) – Take I-65 South. Take exit 132 (Crittenden Drive). This exit veers left. Continue on Crittenden Drive, going straight. Take a right a Central Ave intersection, then continue straight down Central Ave for 1.6 miles, then you will reach the track.